In describing the geographical position of this Republic in relation to
the adjoining colonies, Free State, and native territories, it will be
necessary, before entering upon its physical formation, to give an
outline of its boundaries, and the important position it holds in the
future commerce of the country with the interior trade of South Central
Africa. All the northern portion is situated in the Limpopo river
basin, the southern in the basin of the Orange and Vaal rivers. The
central watershed being the division which runs east and west from New
Scotland, passing half-way between Potchefstroom and Pretoria, on to the
western boundary near the village of Lichtenburg. The boundary from
Griqualand West, east of "Fourteen-streams" on the Vaal river, up that
river to Klip river (a tributary of the Vaal, up which it runs to Gans
Spruit, to where it joins the northern point of Natal), is the division
between this Republic and the Orange Free State. From thence along the
Drakensberg for a few miles in an easterly direction to the Buffalo
river, down that river south to the Blood river, a tributary of the
Buffalo, which is the division between this Republic and Natal. From
the Buffalo up the Blood river to its source in the Magidila mountain,
from thence to the conical hill between the Pongola river and the
Drakensberg mountain, is the Zulu boundary. The eastern boundary is
separated from the Portuguese possessions by the Lobombo range, the
Umzila country, and the Amatonga Kaffirs. The Limpopo river is the
northern boundary, and the western and north-western by the chiefs
Khama, Sechele, Gaseitsive, Montsoia, and Monkuruan territories, and
Griqualand West, down to Fourteen-streams, on the Vaal river, before
named. The Republic is situated between 22 degrees 15 minutes and 28
degrees 20 minutes South latitude, and 25 degrees 20 minutes and 32
degrees 10 minutes East longitude, and contains about 122,000 square
miles.
The principal rivers are the Limpopo and the Vaal; the former rises in
the high watershed, south of Pretoria, at an altitude of 6300 feet above
sea-level, flowing in a north-north-west direction through a very pretty
and picturesque part in the Magalisberg range of mountains, which run
east and west, on to where the Great Marico river falls into it, in 24
degrees 15 minutes South latitude, 27 degrees 7 minutes East longitude,
at an altitude of 2690 feet, passing through a thickly wooded country
with many native kraals, skirting Dwaasberg and other lofty hills that
add much to the beauty of the landscape. From the junction of the
Marico, the river turns in a northerly direction for about forty miles,
where the Notuane river joins it; from this point the Limpopo turns with
many bends and curves in a north-easterly and easterly direction for
some 400 miles, forming the boundary between the Transvaal and the chief
Khama, and the Matabele nation, down to 31 degrees 54 minutes East
longitude, being the north-east corner of the Transvaal, and where the
chief Umzelas territory joins up; from this point, after flowing east
for some twenty miles, it takes a south-south-east direction, through
Umzelas country to the Indian Ocean. It is a fine, broad stream,
increasing in width from the junction of the Great Marico, where it is
about 150 yards; at the Mokalapsie river, it is 200 yards; at the
junction of the Shasha, 220 yards; and increases in size as it passes on
through the low, flat country to the sea, where it is three miles wide.
It can be made without any difficulty navigable up to the Rubie river
distant from its mouth nearly 300 miles, taking into consideration the
sinuosity of its course, whence a good road could be made to the
interior; above this point there are many falls and rapids, the two most
important are the Impopomene and the Tolo, above-named, both beautifully
situated between thickly wooded banks; and over the granite rocks in its
bed the water falls, and where some of the bed rocks are exposed, in the
dry season may be seen hundreds of deep circular holes from one foot to
six feet in depth, and from one to three feet in diameter, that have
been worn by loose stones in the first instance being revolved round in
a depression in the rock, and in time, by the rushing of the waters upon
them, have increased them to the present size; they are similar in shape
to those on the banks of the Vaal, Orange, and Zambese rivers. The
immensity of time it must have taken to wear away such deep and large
holes in a granite rock, makes one pause to think of the period when
this river was first formed, because it is only a portion of the year,
when the floods come down, that the water acts upon the stones in these
holes. The principal tributaries of the Limpopo that rise in the
Transvaal are the Apies at Pretoria, Sand, Pinaars, Plat, Matlabatse,
Pongola, Palala, Nylstroom, Houdt, Limvubu, and the Olifants river with
its many tributaries, all flowing into the Limpopo on its right bank.
The greater portion of the country which these branches pass through is
called the Bush Veldt, Waterburg, Zoutpansberg, and is principally
occupied by native tribes under their respective chiefs. Extensive
districts are infested with the tsetse-fly, where a traveller cannot go
in with horses or oxen, for one single bite is death.
Many parts of this bush country, now unoccupied, must at some remote
time have been thickly inhabited, as many remains of cultivated ground
are seen in all directions--and large heaps of stones thrown up when the
ground was cleared for corn, as is the custom with all the natives when
they prepare the land for cultivation--but it has long since been
overgrown with timber and thick bush.
Nearly the whole of Waterberg and Zoutpansberg districts, up to the
Limpopo, and down to the Magalisberg range, a little north of Pretoria,
is a mountainous region; the latter mountains run in an easterly and
westerly direction to the Marico district, the south face having
perpendicular and rocky sides, the northern face slopes gradually, and
this is the case with most of the mountains in this part of Africa. The
Dwaasberg, through which the Great Marico river has forced a passage,
joins on to Wittfontainberg. Pilandsberg is more to the east, north of
which is the Karroo desert, where is the Marikele mountain, a long range
running in an east-north-east direction to Hangklip mountain, with
detached hills up to Marabas town, where gold has been found and a
company has long been established, with quartz-crushing machines to
extract it. A gold-mining company has been established at Nylstroom;
copper has been found in many localities.
The Mural mountain range on the western border runs in a north-east
direction for seventy miles, and terminates at the northern point of the
Pongola river, and can be seen at Mongwato, nearly 100 miles distant.
Makapan's poort is a lofty mountain, a complete honeycomb of caves,
where much fighting has taken place between the Boers and the chief
Makapan. The Marico district is a continuation of hills and fine rich
valleys, the Quaka, Kolobekatseberg, and to the north, Blaauwberg and
many isolated hills, north of Marabas stad, in the Zoutpansberg
district, with the mountain of the same name, reaches as far as the
Limpopo, with the Pweede and Derdebergs. To the east of Marabas Stad
are many detached ranges, the Matyatyeberg, Spelunken, and
Murchisonsberg, situated on the north of the Olifants river; north and
south-west of Lydenburg are the Magnet heights and Lolu mountains
range--well known from the Secocoenes stronghold, stormed by Lord
Wolseley when Secocoene was taken prisoner.
To the east of Lydenburg is the continuation of the Drakensberg or
Quathlamba range, broken up into lofty mountains attaining a height of
7000 feet; some of the highest are Steen Kamps, Komati, Slangapies,
Rands, and Verzamelberg. The whole of this part of the Transvaal is
rich in minerals, wood, and water.
The climate is mild, mostly very healthy; some parts are fever
districts. The native population exceeds 300,000, divided into various
tribes, that are located to the north of Pretoria and Lydenburg, to the
Limpopo, and are composed mostly of Mantatees or Makatees, and also are
known as Mahowas, and are divided into several kraals under petty
chiefs. These are the origin of the Basutus. Their queen was called
Mantantezi, and Mosesh, her head-man, deposed and drove her out, and
formed the Basutu nation, once so powerful that they endangered a large
force of ours under Sir G. Cathcart. There are also what are termed
Knobnoses, Basutos, Zulus, Pula Pula or goat tribe, Vaalpans or slaves,
that have no resting-place, but roam the country. Then there are the
two queens, Majaji and Maselaroon, also Albasini, a Portuguese at
Zoutpansberg. Polygamy is common amongst all the tribes; a man may have
as many wives as he can purchase and keep; they do the greater portion
of the work, till the ground, gather in the corn, fetch wood and water,
cook, and such other labour as is required.
The principal towns in the northern division are, Nylstroom, in
Waterberg; Marabas Stad, in Zoutpansberg, with small villages of Upsal,
Eersteling, and Hantbosch; Lydenburg, with the gold-diggers' camps, in
the Lydenburg district; Rustenberg, in the Rustenberg district;
Middleburg, in the Middleburg district; and Pretoria, which is the
capital of the Republic and a bishop's see, is situated in 25 degrees 40
minutes South latitude, and 28 degrees 32 minutes East longitude.
The other rivers in the northern division, and within the Limpopo basin,
are the Crocodile, with its many tributaries, rising in the Drakensberg
or Quathlamba range, and, passing through the Lobombo mountain, receives
the Umcomasi, Sabie, and other small streams, and enters the northern
part of Delagoa Bay. The Umbelosi drains the country south of the
Komati, and passing through the Lobombo range, enters Delagoa Bay, or
inner harbour at Lozrenzo Marques; it is navigable from the bay some few
miles from its mouth. South of this river is the Tembe, which rising in
the Lobombo mountains, with its small tributaries, enters the inner
harbour. The last of the rivers that drain the south-eastern portion of
the Transvaal is the important Maputa or Usutu river, which rises in the
New Scotland district, at an altitude of 5780 feet above sea-level,
receiving the following tributaries--Impeloosi, Little Usutu, Umkompies,
Umkonto, Umtaloos, and other small streams; flowing through the Lobombo
it receives the Pongola river, which rises a few miles to the east of
Wakkerstroom, and receiving (in its course down) many tributaries
flowing east and north, joins the Usutu, where it turns in a north-east
and north direction for fifty miles; when a broad and navigable river it
enters the southern part of Delagoa Bay. The lower portion for twenty
miles passes through the Portuguese possessions, and after crossing the
Lobombo mountains, it leaves the Transvaal and Amaswasiland, and enters
the northern part of Zululand or Amatonga country. This completes the
river system on the east of the Limpopo basin. On the west there are a
few branches of the Limpopo on the left bank, that will complete this
western division, viz. the Great and Little Marico rivers, the Molmane,
the upper portion of the Notuane, and the Franks and Elands rivers, that
drain the Marico and Rustenburg districts; the Orange and Vaal river
basin, which is separated from the Limpopo by the central watershed,
already described, which is also called the Hooge or High Veldt. The
Vaal river rises in the Quathlambe mountains on the eastern border of
the Transvaal, called the New Scotland district, at an altitude of 5813
feet, near Lake Crissie, flowing south-west past the town of Stamlerton,
which is on the main transport road from Natal to Pretoria, passing
through an open country, receiving in its course many small feeders;
from this town the river turns westerly to Klip river, which is the
boundary between the Orange Free State and the Transvaal. From this
point the Vaal forms the boundary between the two Republics, down to
Griqualand West, taking many turns and twists in a westerly, then
south-westerly direction, receiving in its course many streams on the
right bank, within the Transvaal boundary, as under--Klip, Gans, Sand,
Bushman, Kapok, Rand, Waterfal, Klite, Kalk, Eland, Ensel, all spruits,
to the Moi river, upon which Potchefstroom is built. Following the
river down we next come to Loop, Baken, Machave, and Kockemere spruits;
Scoon spruit, upon which Klerksdarp is built. Crossing several other
small spruits we come to Klip spruit, Lion, Wolf, Maquassie, and Bamber
spruits. The Harts river, which is a tributary of the Vaal, enters it
within the boundary of Griqualand West, rises on the central watershed
at Lichtenburg village, in the Transvaal, at an elevation of 6100 feet
above sea-level, and flows in a south-west direction, passing the
Koranna kraal, Maamousa, and the Bechuana territory, under the chief
Monkuruan, where it leaves the Transvaal Republic and enters Griqualand
West. The boundary of this chief is now being arranged by General Sir
Charles Warren. This completes the river system of the Transvaal in the
Orange river basin.
The towns within this area are Utrich, Darby, Lunenberg, Wakkerstroom,
Standerton, Heidelburg, Fentersdorp, Potchefstroom, Klerksdarp,
Lichtenburg, Bloemhof, and Christiana. There are no hills of importance
in this division, only a few isolated "kopjies" at Potchefstroom,
Hartebeestfontein, and at Klerksdarp, which do not call for any
particular description.
On the south-east boundary is a native territory called Swaziland, or
the Amaswasi country, belonging to a Zulu tribe; it is situated between
the Republic, Zululand, and the Portuguese possessions at Delagoa Bay.
It is a very hilly and well-wooded district, thickly populated with a
warlike race. The Transvaal Republic say it is within their boundary,
but the natives deny it; at any rate the Boers at present have no
authority over them, and the chief rules quite independent of the
Transvaal. It has long been under our protection, and it was the main
cause of the Zulu war, because we would not allow Cetewayo to "wash his
spears" in them. Gold-fields are now there. The English and Boers have
_hired_ large tracts of their country as cattle-runs, and will never be
got out.
There are many roads to the Transvaal from the Cape Colony and Natal;
those most used are from Kimberley diamond-fields, passing up on both
sides of the Vaal river; they are rough, sandy, and in places very
stony; others pass through Bloemfontein in the Free State, crossing the
Vaal at several drifts. From Natal there are two over the Drakensberg
to Harrismith, on to Potchefstroom and Heidelburg; also two passing
through Newcastle, one going to Standerton and Pretoria, the other to
Wakkerstroom, Lydenburg, and the gold-fields; portions of them are very
good, other parts rough and heavy travelling. It is the same with all
others that traverse the country, as they are never repaired.
The country on the south side of the watershed or high veldt is open and
uninteresting, long stretches of rolling plains, not a bush or tree to
be seen for miles; except here and there, at long intervals, a Boer farm
is seen, and near it occasionally a garden surrounded by the well known
tall gum trees; no Kaffir locations are seen in any portion of this
part, a few huts occupied by the Kaffir servants may be located near
each farm. The country is suitable for cattle, but sheep do not thrive.
This country is divided into thirteen districts--seven in the Limpopo
basin, and six in the Orange and Vaal basins.
The first contains Pretoria, Rustenburg, Marico, Waterburg,
Zontpansberg, Lydenburg, and Middleburg.
The second Potchefstroom, Bloemhof, Heidelburg, Wakkerstroom, Utrecht,
and Standerton.
The white population, which was estimated in 1882, did not exceed 45,000
of all nationalities. Since the retrocession of the Transvaal it has
greatly diminished, probably not more than 40,000 at the present time;
putting five to a family, on an average, there would be 8000 families,
2000 of which would be made up of English, French, Germans, Hollanders,
and other Europeans, to occupy this extensive country, which, deducting
for native tribes, leaves for each white individual, great or small, 700
acres, and yet the Boers are not content with this large share, but must
make war on native tribes to possess themselves of more. If they were
an industrious and well-disposed people, and cultivated their lands in a
proper way, the Transvaal would, and ought to be, the most prosperous
and well-to-do country in South Africa, having all the advantages of a
subtropical climate, plenty of water (if properly utilised) for
cultivation, abundance of coal and other minerals, splendid grazing for
cattle, and many other advantages; but no, they would sooner expend
their energies in fighting the native tribes and stealing their cattle,
because it pays them better, than devote their time to peaceful
pursuits. From the time the Boers have held the Transvaal they have
pursued this policy--as is well known by every colonist in the country,
and nothing but a firm Government will ever bring them into a civilised
state, and prevent their atrocities from being further perpetrated, as
has lately occurred on their north-west border and in Zululand.
The splendid position the Transvaal occupies in South Africa, with all
the advantages above stated, the proximity to Natal, and the seaports of
Durban and Delagoa Bay, and eventually a railroad from Newcastle to
Pretoria, as also from Kimberley and Delagoa Bay, shows that this
country has great facilities for supplying the native trade in the
north-east of South Central Africa, where the population is great, and
the country rich in all kinds of produce. The gold will soon bring all
this.